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OF  THE 

GEOLOGICAL  SDRYEY  &  CONDITION 

OF  THE 

GAP  MINING  COMPANY'S  PROPERTY, 

Lancaster  County, 

PENNSYLVANIA. 

BY 

PROF.  MONTROYILLE  WILSON  DICKESON3  M.  D., 

OF  PHILADELPHIA, 

Member  of  the  American  Association  for  the  Promotion  of  Science ;  the  Academy 
of  Natural  Sciences  of  Philadelphia ;  the  Society  for  Developing 
the  Mineral  Resources  of  the  United  Slates,  &c.,  &c. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

J.  B.  CHANDLER,  PRINTER,  306  &  308  CHESTNUT  STREET,  [GIRARD  BUILDING.] 

1860. 


51 


OF  THE 


GEOLOGICAL  SOKVET  &  CONDITION 


GAP  MINING  COMPANY'S  PROPERTY. 

Lancaster  Coianty, 

PENNSYLVANIA, 


PROF.  MONTROVILLE  WILSON  DICKESON,  M.  D., 


OF  PHILADKLPHIA, 


Member  of  the  American  Association  for  the  Promotion  of  Science ;  the  Academy 
of  Natural  Sciences  of  Philadelphia;  the  Society  for  Developing 
the  Mineral  Resources  of  the  United  States,  &c.,  &c. 


PHILADELPHIA: 

J.  B.  CHANDLER,  PRINTER,  306  &  308  CHESTNUT  STREET. 
1860. 


Digitized  by 

the  Internet  Archive 

in  2015 

https://archive.org/details/reportofgeologicOOdick 


LANCASTER  COUNTY,  PENNSYLVANIA. 


To  tlie  President,  Directors,  &c.,  of  the 

Gap  Mining  Company. 

In  pursuance  of  your  authority,  I  have  given  to 
your  property,  situated  in  Lancaster  County,  and  State 
of  Pennsylvania,  a  critical,  geological  survey,  the  report 
of  which,  as  herewith  presented,  is  the  result  of  two 
visits  made  in  May  and  June  of  this  year,  which  were 
occupied  in  acquiring  such  information  in  regard  to  its 
condition  and  economy,  as  would  enable  me  to  arrive  at 
correct  conclusions  in  relation  to  its  merits,  necessities 
and  future  prospects. 

With  that  view  admeasurements  were  taken,  the 
workings  thoroughly  examined  and  comprehended,  with 
reference  to  elucidating  the  ground  plans  and  different 
sections  of  the  Mine  at  every  working  level,  as  well  as 
a  whole.  I  investigated  very  closely,  so  far  as  the  ex- 
cavations have  been  made,  the  attendant  circumstances 
of  the  interruption  of  the  lode  both  north  and  south, 
for  the  purpose  of  defining  the  extent  of  the  lateral 


4 


heaves,  and,  hence,  determining  the  probable  point 
where  the  continuity  of  the  mineral  lode  might  be  ex- 
pected to  be  resumed  in  its  original  integrity. 

Proper  attention  does  not  appear  to  have  been  di- 
rected, heretofore,  to  the  observance  and  comprehension 
of  this  important  feature  in  the  local  formation,  and 
hence  it  became  necessary  to  investigate  thoroughly  the 
mining  economy  of  the  property,  that  errors  might  be 
corrected,  and  labor  intelligently  applied  hereafter. 

I  am  not  familiar  with  the  past  productive  results  of 
your  Mine ;  its  future,  however,  has  engaged  my  atten- 
tion, as  this  valuable  property  should  be  so  understood 
and  wrought,  if  practicable,  as  to  increase  its  mineral 
products — the  past  being  of  slight  significance  in  com- 
parison with  the  future,  which  I  trust  will  be  as  pros- 
perous as  the  resources  of  this  property  seem  to  warrant. 

All  mines  are  subject  to  variations  in  the  size,  con- 
tents, and  hence,  value  of  their  lodes.  In  these  parti- 
culars your  mine  is  not  singular,  as  it  is  attended  with 
only  the  ordinary  modifications  incident  in  a  greater  or 
lesser  degree  to  all  mines. 

It  is  my  well-considered  opinion,  that  taking  into  con- 
sideration the  entire  mineral  contents  of  the  two  lodes 
on  your  property — from  the  surface  down  to  the  lowest 
levels — the  mineral  capacity  is  greatly  increased  in  the 
descent,  and  that  the  tendency  is  to  further  enlargement 
as  depth  may  be  attained. 

A  material  change  in  the  character  of  the  lode,  is 
observable  in  the  lower  portion  of  the  Engine  shaft,  and 
still  a  further  modification  may  occur  at  a  lower  depth. 
This  should  excite  no  apprehension,  as  no  mineral  land 
has  yet  been  discovered,  so  far  as  my  knowledge  ex- 


5 


tends,  in  which,  in  shafting  from  the  surface  to  a  depth 
of  two  hundred  feet,  what  is  denominated  as  ''  hard 
ground"  is  not  encountered,  to  disturb  in  a  measure, 
either  the  regularity  of  the  vein  or  the  equality  of  the 
ore. 

At  the  greatest  depth  at  which  the  excavations  have 
been  made,  I  find  the  vein  divided  north  of  the  main 
shaft,  by  an  irregular  mass  of  elevated  quartz,  occupy- 
ing a  longitudinal  position  between  the  parts,  the  effect 
having  been  to  distribute  its  contents  in  the  form  of 
strings,  between  which  prills  of  the  sulphuret  of  copper 
are  found.  Near  the  cross-cut  at  this  particular  locality, 
a  compact  horn-blend  rock  also  makes  its  appearance, 
which  occupies  a  position  parallel  with  the  quartz,  and 
throws  the  lode  entirely  out  of  place.  The  intrusion 
of  this  irregular  mass  has,  also,  divided  the  lode  into  a 
number  of  fissures,  which,  though  it  does  not  seriously 
diminish  the  quantity  of  mineral  matter,  has  produced 
such  distortion  and  derangement  as  to  render  mining 
more  difficult  and  expensive. 

The  mass  of  dark  colored  mineral  matter  that  also 
shows  itself,  indicates  the  previous  action  of  great  heat, 
it  being  not  only  porous  and  spongy  like  scoria,  but 
particularly  irregular  otherwise,  in  its  formation.  Even 
the  walls  in  contiguity  with  it  are  broken  and  irregular, 
and  the  dark  horn-blend  matter  is  mixed  with  it. 

In  this  connection,  the  probable  character  of  the  vein 
in  the  main  shaft,  at  a  further  depth  of  from  fifty  to 
one  hundred  feet  is  renewed.  I  will  say,  it  being  the 
result  of  my  experience,  that  the  circumstance  of  the 
intrusion  of  a  mass  of  quartz  and  horn-blend  rock,  dis- 
turbing the  regularity  of  the  lode  or  even  placing  it  a 


6 


short  drifting  distance  from  its  legitimate  position  in 
the  shaft,  is  no  reason  why  it  should  not  again  resume 
its  wonted  place  in  depth,  and,  as  often  occurs,  even  be 
increased  in  the  quantity  and  quality  of  its  mineral 
matter.  But  whether  in  nickel  or  copper,  must  depend 
for  solution  upon  the  practical  development  hereafter  in 
working  it;  the  indications,  however,  from  the  various 
openings  favoring  the  existence  of  the  former. 

Any  speculation  relative  to  the  value  of  this  lode  at 
a  lower  depth  than  reached,  however,  would  be  useless ; 
still  I  must  contend  there  is  no  basis  for  a  supposition 
that  its  intrinsic  value  will  be  less  than  is  now  exposed 
and  available,  notwithstanding  that  by  the  convergence 
of  the  two  lines  of  heave,  the  vein  is  slightly  contracted 
longitudinally. 

From  extended  examinations  beyond  the  practical 
workings  on  this  property,  I  recommend  an  extension 
south-west,  on  the  range  of  veins  now  being  wrought, 
the  continuation  of  the  lodes  of  which,  are  easily  traced 
by  the  gossan,  and  the  out-crop  of  the  walls  throughout 
the  whole  length  of  the  property. 

Upon  this  out-crop  several  prospective  shafts  have 
been  sunk,  in  every  instance  the  lode  has  been  struck 
and  found  to  maintain  its  full  width — the  ground  being 
perfectly  regular  in  formation ;  and  hence,  from  the  ex- 
tent of  vein  thus  exposed,  the  conclusion  that  a  large 
and  important  accession  to  the  products  of  the  property 
will  be  realized,  is  warranted. 

To  observe  a  commendable  prudence  at  this  time,  I 
do  not  think  it  judicious,  however  advantageous  might 
be  the  result  in  case  of  success,  to  attempt  to  compass 
from  below  the  course  of  the  lateral  heave,  east  or  west 


7 


as  the  case  might  be,  with  the  view  of  re-acquiring  a 
knowledge  of  the  mineral  vein  which  has  been  inter- 
rupted by  it;  as  that  can  be  ascertained  by  developing 
the  property  in  the  more  regular  ground  on  its  southern 
boundary,  the  point  where  the  main  shaft  on  the  property 
should  have  been  originally  located ;  and  where,  from 
the  indications,  the  mineral  formation  is  very  extensive. 
And  at  the  same  time,  while  thus  solving  a  matter  of 
so  much  interest  in  connection  with  this  mine,  you  pos- 
sess an  abundance  of  good  ore,  developed  by  the  sinking 
of  the  Dickeson  shaft  as  I  directed,  which  is  thirty- 
seven  feet  in  depth,  with  a  lode  eight  feet  in  width,  and 
can  be  successfully  and  profitably  wrought ;  it  being  my 
opinion  that  the  further  sinking  of  the  Engine  shaft  at 
present,  would  not  be  attended  with  advantages  propor- 
tionate to  the  expenditure  required. 


GEOLOGY. 

The  rocks  intersected  by  the  veins  in  the  locality  of 
this  mine  belong  principally  to  the  granite  and  sienite. 
On  the  highest  portion  of  the  hill  the  formation  is  an 
altered  sand-stone,  but  as  the  edges  are  approached,  it 
gradually  assumes  the  character  of  a  horn-hlendic  granite. 
On  the  side  of  the  hill  in  a  southern  direction,  the  sienite 
makes  its  appearance,  and  some  two  thousand  feet  be- 
yond a  trap  dyke  intrudes. 

The  vein-stone  or  gangue  is  of  a  variety  of  formations, 
the  chief  of  which  is  horn-blend,  called  aciinoUte. 


8 


The  nickel  ore  is  found  principally  in  combination 
with  iron  and  magnetic  pyrites,  and  always  richer  and 
purer  in  the  immediate  neighborhood  of  the  foot-wall, 
while  copper-ore  occurs  chiefly  in  the  vicinity  of  the 
hanging  wall. 

The  course  of  the  veins,  after  making  due  allowance 
for  heaves,  &c.,  I  have  decided,  after  a  critical  examina- 
tion of  this  and  the  adjoining  properties,  to  lay  down 
as  follows:  the  north  vein,  N.  75°  East;  south  vein,  N. 
84°  30'  East.  These  veins  run  nearly  parallel  to  each 
other,  separated  at  the  east  end  by  a  distance  of  about 
ninety  feet,  and  at  the  west  of  one  hundred  and  thirty. 

The  northern  vein  is  from  eight  to  twelve  feet  wide, 
dipping  north,  and  maintains  a  porous  consistence  which 
is  peculiar  to  the  gossan  of  rich  metallic  veins,  even  up 
to  the  out-crop. 


MINING  SITE,  &c. 

Few  places  can  be  found,  which  present  superior 
advantages,  as  they  relate  to  climate,  surface,  drainage, 
&c.,  &c.,  for  mining. 

The  property  contains  about  eighty-five  acres,  well 
fenced,  and  situated  on  the  table  lands — about  three 
miles  in  width — on  the  top  of  a  spur  of  the  Octorara 
Mountain,  which  slopes  into  a  valley  of  the  same  name 
on  the  south,  and  the  Piqua  Yalley  on  the  north,  and 
whose  base  is  skirted  by  the  Pennsylvania  Central  Rail 
Road,  which  can  be  reached  at  four  several  points  within 
a  distance  of  from  two  and  three-quarters  to  three  miles, 
thus  affording  the  necessary  facilities  for  transportation. 


9 


The  improvements  upon  the  property  are  in  good 
condition,  eligible  in  location,  and  capacious  in  arrange- 
ment, and  as  follows  :  a  mansion  house,  barn,  stables, 
wagon  house  and  tenant  houses;  engine  and  boiler 
house,  smith's  and  carpenter's  shops,  boiler  and  crushing 
rooms,  ore  floors,  gigging  establishment,  horse-whym, 
capstains,  local  railroads,  &c.,  &c. 

The  machinery  consists  of  a  Cornish  Pumping  Engine 
of  seventy-five  horse  power ;  a  hoisting  engine  of  twenty- 
five  horse  power,  with  crushers,  hoisting  machinery,  &c. 
attached.  Beside,  on  eleven  acres  of  land,  additional  to 
the  main  property,  is  located  an  engine  of  twenty-five 
horse  power,  with  blowers,  crushers,  smelting  and  roast- 
ing furnaces,  reverbatories,  &c.,  &c.,  at  a  cost  to  the 
Company  of  about  twenty-five  thousand  dollars. 

This  property  possesses  every  other  necessary  adjunct 
required  by  an  establishment  of  the  kind.  Everything 
about  it  is  organized  and  systematized  with  reference  to 
utility  and  economy,  being  under  the  management  of 
Capt.  John  Williams,  upon  whom,  the  timbering  of  the 
engine  and  other  shafts,  and  supporting  of  the  various 
levels  and  galleries,  reflect  great  credit. 

The  smelting  department  is  under  the  special  manage- 
ment of  E.  W.  Coffin,  Esq.,  whose  general  intelligence, 
and  critical  knowledge  of  the  processes  for  smelting 
ores,  is  very  marked,  and  which  ensures  the  most  per- 
fect results. 


10 


SHAFTS  ON  THE  SOUTHERN  LEAD. 

ENGINE  SHAFT. 

This  shaft,  with  an  area  of  10+13  feet,  and  divided 
into  two  compartments,  is,  in  every  particular,  exceed- 
ingly well  executed.  It  is  of  an  imposing  character, 
and  possesses  ample  capacity  for  any  demand  that  can 
be  made  upon  it. 

Its  location,  so  near  the  brow  of  the  hill,  evidences  a 
great  want  of  ability  in  its  selection,  for,  with  very 
moderate  knowledge  of  formations  and  their  courses, 
such  an  error  could  not  have  been  committed.  While, 
therefore,  it  is  inconvenient  for  the  adaptation  of  the 
power  of  the  engine  to  the  shafts  south  of  the  main 
workings,  still  it  can  be  successfully  used  for  some  time 
to  come. 

It  is  evident  that  those  who  located  this  shaft  were 
simply  directed  by  the  old  workings,  upon  which  they 
sunk,  without  knowledge  or  regardless  of  consequences. 
The  great  width  of  the  ore  gave  them  a  very  abundant 
supply,  and  to  a  considerable  depth  in  the  shaft,  before 
either  w^all  was  reached. 

After  years  of  sloping,  and  the  taking  of  an  immense 
quantity  of  ore  from  this  shaft,  I  find  that  the  increased 
inclination  of  the  vein,  and,  also,  the  general  stratification 
are  placed  too  low  for  easy  working.  J udicous  manage- 
ment, however,  may  surmount  this  difficulty  for  some 
time  to  come. 

This  shaft  was  sunk  through  a  series  of  ancient  rock 
formations,  belonging  to  the  granitic  and  sienitic  class, 
occasionally  varied  by  masses  of  a  bluish-green  chloritlc 


11 


slate,  actinolite^  pyrites,  &c.,  &c.,  with  here  and  there  a 
small  admixture  of  copper.  No  stratum  of  quartz  was 
encountered,  except  as  intermixed  with  the  mineral 
lode,  until  a  depth  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  feet  had 
been  obtained,  at  which  point  the  huge  mass  of  quartz 
came  in  from  the  south,  and  displaced  or  deranged  the 
vein  in  the  northern  portion  of  the  shaft.  This  quartz 
was  succeeded  by  a  similar  mass  of  horn-blend  rock, 
more  or  less  impregnated  wdth  nickel,  the  sulphuret  of 
copper,  and  occasionally  the  pyrites  of  the  carbonate  of 
iron.  From  the  place  in  the  shaft,  where  the  quartz 
made  its  appearance,  down  through  the  horn-blend  rock, 
as  far  as  penetrated,  is  about  fifteen  feet,  at  which  depth 
the  sinking  was  suspended,  the  whole  depth  reached 
being  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  feet. 

The  form  in  which  the  quartz  enters  the  shaft  gives 
the  lode  the  appearance  of  being  divided,  but,  from  the 
position  of  the  underlie,  there  is  every  indication  of 
union  again  below  at  no  very  great  depth. 

One  hundred  and  thirty  years  ago,  at  the  precise  loca- 
tion of  this  shaft,  this  mine  was  first  opened  and  worked 
for  copper  ore.  The  lode  is  now  reached  by  a  vertical 
shaft,  which,  as  previously  stated,  has  been  sunk  to  the 
depth  of  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  feet. 

At  a  depth  of  sixty  feet  in  the  same,  there  is  a  gallery 
three  hundred  feet  in  length,  following  the  course  of  the 
ore  the  whole  distance,  where  the  lode  is  divided  into 
four  branches. 

At  about  one  hundred  feet  in  depth  in  the  shaft  is  a 
wide  cross-course,  which,  at  its  intersection  with  the  lode, 
shows,  principally,  the  sulphate  of  iron  and  actinolite. 

At  a  point  rather  below  the  sixty  feet  level,  the  lode 


12 


presents  the  sulphuret  of  nickel,  which  gradually  in- 
creases in  richness  down  to  the  depth  of  about  one 
hundred  feet,  where  it  gives  a  rich  body  of  nickel  ore, 
upward  of  twenty-five  feet  wide,  where  the  principal 
gangue  stone  is  horn-blend,  which  decreases  in  quantity 
with  distance,  the  nickel  ore  being  proportionally  aug- 
mented. 

Toward  the  west  end,  at  a  depth  of  one  hundred  and 
twenty  feet,  the  lode  is  of  immense  volume,  and  has 
yielded,  as  I  am  informed,  eighteen  tons  of  good  nickel 
ore  to  the  cubic  fathom. 

The  one  hundred  and  thirty  feet  level  has  been 
drifted  some  forty-six  feet,  chiefly  through  the  sulphuret 
of  iron,  wdiich  contains  a  nickel  ore  of  good  per-centage. 
Toward  the  end  of  this  drift,  a  hard,  dark  rock,  extend- 
ing upward  of  twelve  feet,  was  struck,  when  the  sul- 
phuret of  iron  and  nickel  again  came  in,  and  continued 
on  to  the  Dickeson  Shaft.  This  very  important  con- 
nection, will  not  only  supply  facilities  for  securing  the 
very  large  body  of  ore  remaining  between  the  sixty  and 
one  hundred  and  thirty  feet  levels,  but  give  free  ventila- 
tion to  the  mine,  and  accelerate  its  extension  to  the  west. 

A  cross-cut  has  been  extended  north  of  this  shaft  at 
the  depth  of  one  hundred  and  forty-seven  feet,  in  order 
to  encompass  the  north  vein.  Fifty  feet  of  this  working 
passed  through  chloritic  slate,  thence  through  a  horn- 
blend  rock  forty-five  feet,  the  whole  containing  more  or 
less  of  nickel  ore.  Then  fifty  feet  of  an  alternation  of 
quartz  and  slate  w^as  surmounted,  which  terminated  at 
a  water-course  or  large  fissure,  that  assisted  in  draining 
oft'  the  water  from  the  western  portion  of  the  north  vein. 
Capt.  Williams  then  judiciously  determined  to  fall  back 


13 


on  the  horn-blend  rock,  and  pursue  a  westerly  course, 
which,  at  a  distance  of  twenty-five  feet,  brought  the 
drift  into  what  has  proved  to  be  a  large  lode  of  good 
nickel  ore.  The  disturbance  here,  by  the  quartz  and 
horn-blend  rocks,  renders  this  ground  somewhat  difficult 
to  mine,  though  the  nickel  ore  obtained  is  very  compen- 
satory in  quality,  being,  by  the  analysis  of  E.  W.  Coffin, 
Esq.,  4t¥o  per  cent,  of  metallic  nickel.  The  wall  rock 
has  lately  been  reached  on  the  east,  which  establishes 
it  as  the  north  lode,  struck  on  its  westward  course. 
This  is  also  confirmed  by  the  fact  that  it  drains  the 
water  from  the  Millerite,  the  extreme  western  shaft  on 
this  lode. 


DICKESON  SHAFT. 

This  shaft  is  located  some  ninety  feet  south,  and  next 
in  range  of  the  engine  shaft,  four  by  six  feet  in  diameter, 
well  timbered  in  its  upper  portion,  sunk  to  the  depth 
of  one  hundred  and  thirty-six  feet — the  rocks  passed 
through  being  very  decidedly  metal-bearing  in  their 
whole  character — and  worked  by  a  large  and  well  con- 
structed horse-why  m. 

The  nickel  ore  commenced  making  its  appearance  in 
this  shaft  at  a  depth  of  about  ninety  feet,  several  feet 
below  which  a  considerable  quantity  of  the  sulphuret  of 
copper  was  perceptible  among  the  other  ores.  Here, 
water  came  in  quite  freely,  which  caused  the  suspension 
of  sinking  for  a  short  time — a  windlass  being  unequal 
to  the  task  of  freeing  it.  To  facilitate  operations  during 
the  erection  of  more  powerful  machinery,  miners  were 


14 


placed  in  the  west  end  of  the  one  hundred  and  thirty 
feet  level,  immediately  under  the  shaft,  and,  directed 
by  the  accurate  dialing  of  the  Mining  Captain,  shafted 
upward,  thus  penetrating  the  ore  bed — composed  of  the 
sulphuret  of  iron — which,  being  porous,  permitted  the 
water  to  pass  down  into  that  level,  and  thence  into  the 
engine  shaft.  This  permitted  the  resumption  of  the 
sinking,  and  the  working  from  above  and  below,  speedily 
brought  the  shaft  down  to  its  present  depth. 

From  the  point  in  the  shaft,  where  the  nickel  ore  was 
first  struck,  down  to  its  present  depth,  about  forty  feet, 
it  is  fully  nine  feet  in  width,  and  no  wall  being  yet 
reached,  it  is  reasonable  to  anticipate  that  drifting  will 
very  soon  disclose  a  body  of  nickel  ore,  far  surpassing 
in  quantity  and  richness  any  discovery  yet  made  upon 
this  or  any  other  property  in  the  United  States. 

A  level  has  been  extended  east  from  this  shaft  for  a 
distance  of  some  thirty  feet,  for  the  purpose  of  com- 
passing the  large  quantity  of  ores  found  in  the  sixty 
feet  level,  which  I  am  pleased  to  say  has  been  attended 
with  complete  success. 

From  the  particular  and  general  appearance  of  the 
formation  of  the  workings,  the  position  of  the  ore  and 
its  quantity  and  quality,  it  is  my  deliberate  opinion 
that  the  development  so  far  in  this  shaft,  is  the  begin- 
ning of  an  entirely  new  deposit  of  rich  nickel  ore  of 
great  magnitude,  and  for  which  there  is  no  parallel  even 
in  the  upper  workings  of  the  Engine  shaft,  which  at 
the  time  had  no  equal  in  our  country.  It  being,  also, 
my  opinion  that  the  same  body  of  ore  will  be  reached 
on  the  west,  in  the  one  hundred  and  thirty  feet  level 
from  the  Engine  shaft,  upon  which  the  workings  were 


suspended  to  supply  room  and  ventilation  for  the  up- 
ward shafting  to  meet  the  downward  workings  in  this 
shaft. 


UDY  SHAFT. 

This  shaft  is  the  third  on  the  line  of  the  out-crop  of 
the  southern  lode,  and  is  situated  three  hundred  and 
fifty  feet  west  of  the  Engine  shaft.  It  is  supposed  to 
have  been  one  of  the  original  openings  made  about  a 
half  a  century  anterior  to  the  Declaration  of  American 
Independence,  and  was  sunk  to  the  depth  of  forty  feet. 
A  few  years  ago  operations  were  resumed  at  the  point 
of  suspension,  and  the  sinking  prosecuted  to  the  further 
depth  of  fifteen  feet,  making  the  whole  depth  of  shaft 
at  this  time,  fifty-five  feet. 

The  first  formation  passed  through  was  quite  soft, 
being  chloritic  slate  and  several  feet  in  depth.  The 
cap-rock  following  and  lying  immediately  under,  is  com- 
posed of  horn-blend  and  quartz,  completely  charged 
with  crystals  about  three  inches  in  length,  and  pebbles 
varying  in  size  from  a  pea  to  a  walnut.  This  formation 
extends  to  a  depth  of  thirty-five  feet,  whose  underlie 
appears  to  be  one  foot  and  a  half  to  the  fathom,  north- 
ward. Here,  the  ore  comes  in  and  continues  down  to 
the  entire  depth  of  the  shaft. 

At  this  point,  a  number  of  small  veins  of  quartz  oc- 
cur, passing  through  the  lode,  and  frequently  carrying 
prills  of  the  sulphuret  of  copper,  which  yield  some  six- 
teen per  cent,  of  pure  metal. 

I  consider  this  distribution  of  the  quartz  as  a  favor- 


IP) 


able  indication  of  mineral  product  at  a  lower  depth,  for 
in  no  instance  in  my  experience  where  it  occurs  in  me- 
taliferous  veins,  have  the  workings  been  otherwise  than 
profitable. 

There  are  no  reasons  that  have  come  under  my  ob- 
servation for  the  abandonment  of  this  shaft,  as  the 
quantity  of  ore  is  certainly  sufficient  to  have  induced 
progress,  the  wddth  being  nine  feet.  It  is  probable  that 
the  large  quantity  opened  in  the  Engine  shaft  at  that 
period,  engaged  the  whole  time  and  facilities  of  the 
owners  of  the  property. 

Several  other  openings  have  been  made  on  this  lead 
which  are  now  filled  up,  this  being  the  last  shaft  of  any 
importance  on  the  southern  lead.  The  out-crop  is  very 
plain  and  perceptible  throughout  its  w^hole  course.  It 
makes  quite  a  curve  as  it  approaches  the  w^est,  but  sub- 
sequently becomes  more  regular.  I  made  a  particular 
examination  of  its  course,  which  I  found  to  be  N.  84° 
30'  East,  between  this  and  the  Engine  shafts,  but 
changing  to  N.  75°  East,  and  so  continuing  through  the 
adjoining  property  owned  hy  Lewis  Cooper,  Esq. 


SHAFTS  ON  THE  NORTHERN  LEAD. 

NOETH  SHAFT. 

This  shaft  is  sunk  on  the  east  end  of  the  northern 
lode,  about  ninety  feet  north  of  the  Engine  shaft,  six 
by  ten  feet  in  diameter,  seventy-five  feet  in  depth,  and 
well  timbered.  The  ground  through  w4iich  the  shaft 
passed  is  said  to  be  very  hard,  no  doubt  influenced  by 


17 


the  underlieing  quartz  which  is  met  with  in  the  Engine 
shaft. 

A  vein  was  found  in  this  shaft  dipping  north,  and 
though  the  ore  was  productive,  it  did  not  yield  well  hi 
nickel. 

In  the  forty  feet  level  in  this  shaft,  about  four  hun- 
dred and  eighty  feet  west  of  the  point  where  ore  was 
discovered  in  the  one  hundred  and  forty-seven  feet  level 
in  the  Engine  shaft,  some  limited  developm.ents  have 
been  made  which  show"  the  vein  to  be  improving  in  the 
character  of  its  ores.  A  considerable  quantity  of 
"  Millerite"  was  found  lying  in  plates  between  the  beds 
and  fissures  of  the  vein. 

This  lode  has  been  explored  a  distance  of  over  nine 
hundred  feet,  and  ore  found  at  every  point  opened. 

This  shaft  may  subserve  a  useful  purpose  as  an  air- 
shaft  ;  but,  if  it  can  be  dispensed  with,  I  should  recom- 
mend that  the  timbering  which  is  superior,  be  taken  up 
and  appropriated  at  the  Millerite  shaft,  where  any  rea- 
sonable improvement  or  expenditure  will  prove  rema- 
neratory. 


MILLERITE  SHAFT. 

This  is  the  extreme  western  shaft  on  the  northern 
lode,  and  it  derives  its  name  from  very  beautiful  speci- 
mens of  sulphuret  of  nickel,  arranged  by  a  very  delicate 
capillary  crystallization,  and  known  as  capillary  pyrites 
or  millerite,  containing  sulphur  35.1,  nickel  64.9 — 100. 


18 


It  was  discovered  here  by  Prof.  E.  U.  Shepard,  who 
collected  a  large  quantity  of  very  beautiful  specimens, 
with  which  he  has  supplied  mineralogists  and  collectors 
throughout  the  United  States. 

The  shaft  is  sunk  to  the  depth  of  forty  feet,  has  not 
yet  been  timbered,  but  owing  to  the  adhesiveness  of  the 
upper  formation  for  some  depth  from  the  surface,  it  is 
very  well  preserved. 

The  gossan  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  six  feet,  and  at 
sixteen  feet  the  pyrites  were  reached.  Here,  the  vein 
appears  to  be  regularly  defined  with  an  underlie  of  two 
feet  to  the  fathom. 

Some  twenty  feet  east  of  this  shaft  a  large  bed  of  the 
porphyritic  sand-stone  occurs,  which  resembles  the 
Elvin  of  Cornwall,  England,  a  formation  hailed  by  the 
English  miner  as  a  harbinger  of  great  success,  and  as 
occurring  only  in  the  vicinity  of  rich  mineral  beds.  So 
far  as  this  locality  is  concerned,  I  am  prepared  to  en- 
dorse the  truth  of  the  theory,  as  every  indication  war- 
rants its  practical  realization. 

The  formation  at  the  surface  of  the  shaft  presents  a 
granular  texture,  but  in  its  descent  it  becomes  much 
more  compact,  slaty,  and  darker  in  color.  When  ex- 
posed to  the  surface  it  decomposes  thoroughly,  and 
formes  a  deep  blue-colored  earth. 

From  every  indication  in  connection  with  the  surface 
or  the  formation  in  the  shaft,  there  cannot  be  the 
slightest  doubt  of  a  great  abundance  of  rich  nickel  ore. 

The  gossan  crops  out  north  and  south  of  this  shaft, 
upward  of  twenty-five  feet  in  width,  and  fully  equal  in 
its  character  to  any  ever  presented  in  an  iron  lead.  Its 
decomposition  forms  a  fine  brown  pigment. 


19 


This  location  I  have  determined  is,  and  so  pronounce 
it  to  be,  the  richest  portion  of  the  whole  property.  It 
should  have  been  the  nucleus  of  its  mining  operations. 

The  ore  here  lies  very  shallow,  and  it  invites  imme- 
diate development,  the  whole  ground  being  very  rich  in 
mineral  ore,  and  guaranteeing  such  results  as  will  be 
satisfactory. 


RESUME. 

A  mineral  property  containing  about  eighty-five  acres, 
well  fenced,  and  approached  by  the  Pennsylvania  Cen- 
tral Railroad  at  a  number  of  points  so  nearly,  as  to 
afford  the  necessary  facilities  for  transportation. 

The  improvements  are  eligible  in  location,  liberal  in 
construction,  and  in  excellent  condition,  consisting  of  a 
manor  and  tenant  houses,  barn,  stables,  wagon-house, 
smith's  and  carpenter's  shops,  boiler  and  crushing  rooms, 
ore  floors,  gigging  establishment,  horse-whym,  capstains, 
local  railroads,  &c.,  &c. 

A  cornish  pumping  engine  of  seventy-five  horse  power; 
a  hoisting  engine  of  twenty-five  horse  power,  with  the 
necessary  machinery  attached  for  hoisting  and  crushing. 

An  engine  with  twenty-five  horse  power,  with  blowers, 
crushers,  smelting  and  roasting  furnaces,  reverbatories, 
&c.,  &c.,  costing  some  twenty-five  thousand  dollars, 
which  is  located  on  a  body  of  eleven  acres  of  land,  con- 
tiguous and  additional  to  the  main  property,  which  em- 
2 


20 

braces,  in  fact,  every  necessary  adjunct  required  for 
successful  mining. 

The  engine  shaft,  10+13  feet  in  diameter,  divided 
into  two  compartments,  and  well  timbered,  is  of  im- 
mense capacity.  Its  location  was  unfortunate,  in  view 
of  a  continuously  economical  arrangement,  as  the  appli- 
cation of  the  power  of  the  engine  to  the  shafts  south  of 
the  main  workings,  though  practicable  for  some  time  in 
the  future,  will  not  be  of  very  long  duration.  Its  depth 
is,  vertically,  one  hundred  and  sixty-five  feet.  At  a 
depth  of  sixty  feet,  there  is  a  gallery  three  hundred 
feet  in  length,  on  the  course  of  the  ore  the  whole  dis- 
tance. Below  the  sixty  feet  level,  the  lode  is  charged 
with  the  sulphuret  of  nickel,  which  gradually  increases 
in  richness  to  the  depth  of  about  one  hundred  feet, 
when  it  gives  a  body  of  rich  nickel  ore,  upward  of 
twenty-five  feet  wide,  the  principal  gangue  stone  being 
horn-blend,  which  decreases  in  quantity  with  distance, 
and  the  nickel  ore  proportion allj^,  augmenting.  The 
lode  shows  itself  in  immense  volume  at  one  hundred 
and  twenty  feet,  and  is  said  to  yield  eighteen  tons  of 
good  nickel  ore  to  the  cubic  fathom. 

At  a  hundred  feet  there  is  a  wide  cross-course,  which, 
at  its  intersection  with  the  lode,  presents,  principally, 
the  sulphate  of  iron  and  actinolite. 

The  one  hundred  and  thirty  feet  level  has  been 
drifted  forty-six  feet,  chiefly  through  the  sulphuret  of 
iron,  which  bears  nickel  ore  of  good  per-centage.  To- 
ward the  end  of  the  drift,  a  hard,  dark  rock,  extending 
upward  of  twelve  feet,  was  struck,  when  the  sulphuret 
of  iron  and  nickel  came  in,  and  extended  continuously 
to  the  Dickeson  Shaft.    This  important  connection  ren 


21 


ders  the  large  body  of  ore  remaining  between  the  sixty 
and  one  hundred  and  thirty  feet  levels  available,  and 
will  supply  the  mine  with  ventilation,  and  accelerate 
the  extension  west. 

A  cross-cut  has  been  made  north  of  the  shaft,  at  a 
depth  of  one  hundred  and  forty-seven  feet,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  compassing  the  north  vein.  Fifty  feet  of  this 
w^orking  passed  through  chloritic  slate,  then  through 
horn-blend  rock  forty-five  feet,  the  w^hole  containing 
more  or  less  of  nickel  ore.  Then  fifty  feet  of  an  alter- 
nation of  quartz  and  slate  was  surmounted,  which  ter- 
minated at  a  water-course  or  large  fissure,  which  assisted 
in  draining  off  the  water  from  the  western  portion  of 
the  north  vein.  Subsequently  the  horn-blend  rock  was 
fallen  back  upon,  a  western  course  pursued,  which,  w^ithin 
a  distance  of  twenty-five  feet,  brought  the  drift  into 
good  nickel  ore.  Though  the  ground  here  is  not  easily 
worked,  yet  the  ore  obtained  is  very  compensatory,  being 
as  per  analysis  of  E.  W.  Coffin,  Esq.,  4i^o^o  per  cent,  of 
metallic  nickel.  The  waU  rock  has  been  reached  by 
this  drift  on  the  east,  which  establishes  it  as  the  north 
lode  on  its  western  course.  This  is  also  confirmed  by 
the  fact  that  it  drains  the  water  from  the  Millerite,  the 
extreme  western  shaft  on  this  lode. 

The  Dickeson  Shaft,  ninety  feet  south  of  the  engine 
shaft,  4+6  feet  in  diameter,  well  timbered  in  its  upper 
portion,  sunk  to  the  depth  of  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
six  feet  through  rocks  very  decidedly  metal-bearing  in 
character,  is  worked  by  a  well-constructed  horse-whym. 

The  nickel  ore  came  in  at  a  depth  of  about  ninety 
feet ;  several  feet  below  a  considerable  quantity  of  the 
sulphuret  of  copper  made  its  appearance.    From  the 


22 


point  where  it  was  first  struck,  down  forty  feet,  to  its 
present  depth,  it  is  fully  nine  feet  wide,  and  as  no  wall 
has  yet  been  reached,  I  confidently  anticipate  that  drift- 
ing will  speedily  disclose  an  immense  body  of  nickel  ore, 
unequalled  in  quantity  or  quality  by  any  development 
yet  made  within  the  limits  of  the  Union. 

A  level  has  been  extended,  east  from  this  shaft 
some  thirty  feet,  for  the  purpose  of  reaching  the  large 
quantity  of  ores  in  the  sixty  feet  level,  and  which  I  am 
pleased  to  say  has  been  accomplished. 

From  the  character  of  the  formation  in  the  workings, 
hence  the  position  of  the  ore  and  its  quantity  and  quality, 
I  am  decidedly  of  the  opinion  that  the  development  in 
this  shaft  is  an  earnest  of  an  entirely  new  deposit  of  rich 
ore,  of  great  magnitude ;  and  that  the  same  body  of  ore 
will  be  struck  on  the  west,  in  the  one  hundred  and  thirty 
feet  level  from  the  engine  shaft. 

The  Udy  Shaft  is  the  third  on  the  line  of  the  out-crop, 
supposed  to  have  been  one  of  the  ancient  workings. 
Operations  were  resumed  upon  it,  a  few  years  ago,  fifteen 
feet  sunk,  which  carried  it  down  to  a  depth  of  fifty-five 
feet. 

The  first  formation  passed  through  was  chloritic  slate, 
and  quite  soft.  The  cap-rock,  succeeding,  is  composed 
of  horn-blend  and  quartz,  completely  charged  with  crys- 
tals, which  formation  extends  to  the  depth  of  thirty-five 
feet,  the  underlie  one  and  a  half  foot  to  the  fathom, 
northward.  Here,  the  ore  comes  in,  and  continues  the 
whole  depth  of  the  shaft. 

A  number  of  small  quartz  veins  occur  here,  passing 
through  the  lode,  and  frequently  carrying  prills  of  the 
sulphuret  of  copper,  which  yield  some  sixteen  per  cent. 


23 


of  pure  metal.  This  distribution  of  the  quartz  into 
strings,  is  a  favorable  indication  of  mineral  product  at 
a  lower  depth,  for  wherever  it  occurs  in  metaliferous 
veins,  the  workings  are  uniformly  profitable. 

There  is  no  reason  for  the  abandonment  of  this  shaft, 
as  the  quantity  of  ore  would  have  warranted — the 
width  being  nine  feet — its  continued  working;  though 
it  is  probable  that  at  a  very  early  day,  the  quantity  of 
ore  opened  by  the  engine  shaft,  required  the  entire 
facilities  of  the  owners  of  the  property. 

Several  other  openings,  now  filled  up,  have  been 
made  on  this  lead,  the  outcrop  of  which  is  very  plain 
and  perceptible  throughout  its  whole  course,  which  I 
established  after  a  careful  examination,  to  be  N.  84° 
30'  E,  between  this  and  the  engine  shaft,  but  changing 
to  N.  75°  E,  and  continuing  on  through  the  very 
valuable  property  adjoining,  owned  by  Lewis  Cooper, 
Esq. 

The  north  shaft  is  sunk  on  the  east  end  of  the  nor- 
thern lode,  about  ninety  feet  north  of  the  engine  shaft, 
six  by  ten  feet  in  diameter,  seventy-five  feet  in  depth, 
and  well  timbered.  The  ground  passed  through  is  said 
to  be  very  hai  d. 

A  vein  was  found  in  the  shaft,  dipping  north,  and 
though  the  ore  was  productive,  it  did  not  yield  satisfac- 
torily in  nickel.  The  lode  has  been  explored  a  dis- 
tance of  nine  hundred  feet,  and  ore  found  at  every 
point  opened. 

In  the  forty  feet  level  in  this  shaft,  some  limited 
developments  have  been  made,  which  show  the  ore  to 
be  improving  in  its  character. 

This  shaft  may  subserve  a  useful  purpose  as  an  air- 


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shaft,  but  if  it  can  be  dispensed  with,  I  recommend  the 
timbering  to  be  taken  up  and  used  at  the  Millerite 
shaft;  as  there,  ample  remuneration  will  follow  improve- 
ment. 

The  Millerite  shaft  is  the  extreme  western  shaft  on 
the  northern  lode,  is  sunk  to  the  depth  of  forty  lieet, 
not  yet  timbered,  but,  owing  to  the  consistence  of  the 
upper  formation  for  some  distance  down  from  the  sur- 
face, is  well  preserved. 

The  gossan  was  struck  at  a  depth  of  six  feet  and  the 
pyrites  at  sixteen,  the  vein  being  regularly  defined  with 
an  underlie  of  two  feet  to  the  fathom. 

The  formation  at  the  surface  of  the  shaft  is  of  a 
granular  texture,  but  in  descent  it  soon  becomes  more 
compact,  slaty,  and  darker  in  color.  When  exposed  it 
decomposes  and  forms  a  deep-blue  colored  earth.  The 
surface  and  formation  in  the  shaft  prove  beyond  doubt, 
a  great  abundance  of  very  rich  nickel  ore. 

The  gossan  crops  out  north  and  south  of  the  shaft 
upward  of  twenty -five  feet  in  width,  and  is  equal  to  any 
ever  presented  in  an  iron  lead. 

This  location  is  the  richest  portion  of  the  property, 
and  it  should  have  been  selected  as  the  nucleus  of  its 
mining  operations. 

The  ore  lies  shallow  and  invites  immediate  action, 
the  whole  ground  being  so  very  rich  in  mineral  ore  as 
to  warrant  satisfactory  results. 

All  the  appointments  of  this  property  are  of  a  supe- 
rior character,  and  its  general  management  evidences 
an  intelligent  economy ;  but,  in  conclusion  permit  me  to 
say,  that  ample  means  are  indispensible  to  the  success 
of  such  an  establishment. 


25 


To  be  incapacitated  by  restriction  of  facilities  for 
adopting  whatever  change  in  the  workings  experience 
may  dictate,  or  improvements  in  any  economical  arrange- 
ments a  sound  policy  may  suggest,  is  to  struggle  against 
disadvantages ;  while  at  the  same  time  those  who  oc- 
cupy official  posts — passive  sufferers  are  from  such  a 
cause  incapable  of  remedying  that  for  which  they  are 
often  censured. 

This  is  the  srand  secret  of  the  want  of  success  of 
mining  in  our  country,  and  it  will  continue  to  be 
operative  till  working  capital  is  amply  provided  as  in 
older  countries.  Then,  with  our  vast  mineral  resources 
existing  in  such  favorable  contrast  with  the  compara- 
tively exhausted  mines  of  older  countries,  mining  in 
this  country  will  become  as  nature  intended  it  should, 
profitable. 

As  a  whole,  as  my  report  shows,  your  property  is 
very  valuable,  the  principal  deduction  from  this  pre- 
mise, being  the  unfortunate  location  of  the  engine  or 
main  shaft.  Taking  the  property  as  it  is,  however, 
and  conceding  the  necessity  for  the  re-location  of  that 
shaft — by-t he-bye  unnecessary  for  some  years — it  would 
not,  in  view  of  the  development  at  the  Dickeson  and 
Millerite  shafts,  materially  diminish  its  value,  for,  rich 
as  I  have  shown  it  to  be  in  nickel  ores,  the  future,  under 
good  management  and  with  ample  capital,  would  very 
soon  obliterate  the  memory,  even,  of  any  at  present 
existing  drawback  to  its  value ;  particularly  in  view 
of  the  discovery  by  Alfred  Monnier,  chemist,  and 
immediately  after  carefully  examined  and  approved  by 
Dr.  F.  A.  Genth,  of  this  city,  of  a  new  process  by  pre- 
cipitation, for  extracting  the  metal  from  the  ore,  out 


26 


which  promises  to  effect  a  complete  revolution  in  the 
application  of  means  and  appliances  to  that  end. 

This  process  is  endorsed  by  Professor  A.  Snowden 
Piggot,  M.  D.,  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  its  practicability 
confirmed  by  practical  tests  made  on  an  extensive  scale 
by  C.  F.  A.  Simonin,  chemist  of  this  city. 

With  my  very  best  wishes  for  the  future  success  of 
your  company, 

Very  respectfully, 

Yours,  &c., 
MONTROYILLE  W.  DICKESON, 
Economic  Geologist, 

24  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 


